Tufted fabrics



Feb. 25, 1969 E. K. LUND 3,429,285

TUFTED FABRICS Filed March 17, 1966 INVENTOP ERNEST KENNETH LUND BY W all, 0

W flTTORNEYJ United States Patent l 3,429,285 TUFTED FABRICS Ernest K. Lund, Accrington, England, assignor to Singer- Cobble Limited, Blackburn, England Filed Mar. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 535,095 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 19, 1965,

11,649/ 65 US. Cl. 112410 1 Claim Int. Cl. D05b 35/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tufted fabric is comprised by a backing sheet and yarns forming lines of tufts. In each line, the tufts of one yarn alternate with the tufts of another yarn and the tufts of the one yarn pass through and divide the other yarn at the reverse of the backing sheet.

The invention concerns a. method of manufacturing tufted fabrics and has particular reference to the manufacture of carpets and like floor coverings.

: In application No. 535,113 (series of 1960) there is described a turfting' machine having an excess of needles over loopers, the parts being so arranged that some at least of the loopers engage the threads carried by two or more needles. In the preferred embodiments described and illustrated in our application aforesaid, there are twice as many needles as loopers, and each looper is arranged to engage the threads carried by two or more needles.

The present application is concerned with the method of producing a tufted fabric on the machine the subject of our co-pending application, and with the product of such machine and method.

Thus, according to the present invention, a method of porducing a tufted fabric includes the step of forming a multiplicity of tuft lines extending in the longitudinal direction of the fabric, each such line being formed from a plurality of yarns, each inserting tufts respectively, the successive tufts formed by any one yarn in a line being displaced longitudinally of the fabric relative to the corresponding tufts formed by the remaining yarns, the said corresponding tufts lying between the said successive tufts in the longitudinal direction of the fabric and each yarn, between the formation of successive tufts therefrom, floating at the reverse of the fabric.

By the expression tuft line we mean a line or lines of tufts extending longitudinally of the fabric from which tufts are formed by the simultaneous piercing of a backing fabric by a corresponding number of needles and produced by a group of needles served by a single common looper. It is not intended that the term be limited to a single line of stitches formed by accurately aligned needles, but to extend so as to include a series of stitches, tufts or loops formed by needles each of which is offset transversely of the fabric relative to the others served by the same looper.

In the various embodiments disclosed in the pending application aforesaid the tufting needles are paired. In one case, the needles of each pair are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the fabric, whilst in the other case the needles are offset slightly, a single looper passing between such offset needles to engage the loops formed by each, and the rearmost needle being displaced in a direction away from the associated looper relative to the corresponding front needle.

The tufting needles may be of standard form in which case the point thereof lies on the axis of the needle, or of modified form, the point, in the latter case, being displaced relative to the axis of the needle. Usually, if a 3,429,285 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 modified needle is used it will constitute the rearmost of a pair of associated needles and the point will be displaced relative to that of the corresponding front needle in a direction away from the common looper serving such needle pair.

The invention also includes a tufted fabric which presents a multiplicity of tuft lines extending longitudinally thereof, each such line being formed from a plurality of yarns, the successive tufts formed by any one yarn in a line being displaced longitudinally of the fabric relative to the corresponding tufts formed by the remaining yarns, the said corresponding tufts lying between the said successive tufts in the longitudinal direction of the fabric and each yarn, between the formation of successive tufts therefrom, floating at the reverse side of the fabirc.

In all instances the yarn will float at the reverse of the fabric between successive tufts, thus to form a complete or substantially complete backing to the hessian, whilst, depending upon the character of the yarn carried by the front needle, the rear needle of a pair may also pierce the yarn passing to the front needle at each tuft insertion thus firmly to hold the said yarn in place. When the yarn from the rearmost needle of a pair pierces that of the foremost needle it is also possible for a loop to be formed partly within another, one such loop being formed during a successive cycle relative to that during the other said loop was formed and by the other needle.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating two embodiments thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pile yarns of a tufted fabric according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding perspective view of a second embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings, a tufted fabric comprises a backing fabric and a multiplicity of tuft lines extending longitudinally of such fabric, each such tuft line at the rear of the fabric being constituted by two lines of tuft stitches respectively formed by one of two mutually associated tufting needles, the corresponding stitches in a given tuft line being formed simultaneously.

The associated tufting needles may be aligned or offset relative to the direction of movement of the backing fabric in the manner set forth in detail in the co-pending application aforesaid.

In the event that the tufting needles are of a standard form wherein the point thereof is aligned or substantially aligned with the axis of the needle, then depending upon the nature of the yarns, either the tuft arrangement of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 is obtained.

If the yarn inserted by the front needle of an associated pair is a bulked yarn, then the rearmost needle pierces such yarn where the yarn floats at the rear of the backing fabric between successive stitches thus to give the effect shown in FIG. 1.

If, one the other hand, the yarn inserted by such front needle presents some significant degree of twist then the effect as shown in FIG. 2 is obtained. It is to be observed that although there is no piercing of one yarn by the other, the corresponding back stitches as produced by associated needles may exhibit a bias towards one another with the result that the pile tufts appearing on the front of the fabric are substantially in alignment.

The preferred relative disposition of the needles of an associated pair is that in which the more rearward needle is offset relative to the front needle in a direction away from the looper common to both needles, and furthermore, it is desirable to substitute a modified needle for the said rearward needle, such modified needle having the point thereof displaced relative to the needle axis in a direction opposite to the looper. It has been found that with such an arrangement the individual loops or tufts as inserted by the associated needles do not interfere one with another and the back-stitch effect shown in FIG. 2 is obtained even with a bulked yarn in the front needles but without the bias effect before referred to.

It is thought that a fabric produced according to the invention will present advantages over conventionally produced fabric. Thus, in the arrangement wherein there is interlocking of yarns, the stability of the pile will be much improved, whilst in the arrangement wherein there is so such locking, there is a tendency for the tufts formed by any pair of needles, the latter both being of standard form, to extend outwardly from opposite sides of the line passing midway between the needles and directed longitudinally of the fabric. The tufts formed by corresponding needles will overlap one another in the transverse direction of the fabric and in consequence the longitudinal lines normally detectable in conventional tufted fabrics are not apparent. This characteristic is of particular significance if a mottled or like efiect is desired.

The full coverage at the reverse of the fabric will assist in the adhesion of a foam backing if this is desired, or alternatively, by its very nature will be of use as a resilient or quasi-resilient backing.

The invention is not restricted to the particular features of the embodiments described since alternatives will present themselves to one skilled in the art, thus the numher of needles utilised in producing a single tuft line may be increased, or tuft lines produced by a multiplicity of needles could alternate with tuft lines produced by a single needle.

What I claim is:

1. A tufted fabric comprising a backing sheet and a multiplicity of spaced tuft lines, each tuft line being formed of at least two yarns which pass through the backing sheet at spaced locations and provide tufts on one side of the backing sheet, the tufts of one yarn alternating with the tufts of another yarn in the same tuft line, each yarn floating at the reverse of the backing sheet between successive tufts, and the tufts of said one yarn passing through and dividing said other yarn at the reverse of the backing sheet.

References Cited v UNITED STATES PATENTS 433,242 7/1890 Heine 1124'l0 2,834,309 5/1958 Russell et al l12163 2,889,791 6/1959 Fedevich 112-79 3,020,863 2/1962 Smith 112-7 9 3,093,100 6/1963 Thompson 112-79 3,338,198 8/1967 Short et a1. 112410 FOREIGN PATENTS 153,170 10/1963 U.S.S.R.

JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner. 

